How to get rid of stink bugs

Here are some tips for removing these uninvited guests from your home.

“What is that smell?” If that phrase has ruined a dinner on the patio, or a nice ride in the car with the windows down, then you might live in one of the states being overtaken by stink bugs, known more formally as Halyomorpha halys or the brown marmorated stink bug.

Call it what you will, the noxious smell of these bugs will make you gag and likely clear a room. The stink bug is a recent visitor to the United States, and it seems to like it here. As a consequence, many homeowners are wondering about how to get rid of stink bugs.

Originally from Asia

First a little history: It seems the creatures hitched a ride here from Asia, and came to eastern Pennsylvania where they were first collected in September 1998 in Allentown.

The pests spread north to Maine and south to Florida, and are now moving west across the country. In the past few years, there have been one generation annually, but a mild winter and warm spring could enable additional generations to reproduce, increasing the population everywhere, and taking up residence in our homes, sheds and vehicles.

More than that, this infestation is damaging crops and foliage across the country. Back in Asia, brown marmorated stink bugs like to feast on peaches, figs, mulberries, citrus fruits and persimmons, but they seem to have expanded their palate abroad to dine on ornamentals, beans, soy beans and most fruit trees. The damage caused by stink bugs leaves plants and produce unfit for market.

Securing your home

So let’s get down to business: How do we get rid of stink bugs? According to Rick Steinau of Ask the Exterminator, true eradication of stink bugs has to start at the farm level and in the crop fields.

“For homeowners, stink bugs are really nothing more than a nuisance,” says Steinau. “If stink bugs are not treated in the crop fields, there is little a homeowner can do to stop their migration from the fields, so as a homeowner, exclusion is your best weapon.”

This can mean anything from securing your home so the little buggers can’t get in to killing them after they enter. Steinau suggests that you make sure your windows and doors are properly sealed, and that protective screens are placed over air vents and chimneys.

Eco-friendly options

Now the big question: To spray or not to spray? In the spirit of being planet-friendly, there are some things to try before resorting to the big pesticide guns.

In a spray bottle, combine 32 ounces of hot water and three-quarters of a cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid and spray the exterior of your home, concentrating on those cracks, windows and doors. For an extra kick, you can use the anti-bacterial variety, but understand that it contains additional chemicals.

Steinau suggests another non-pesticide alternative: “Since invading stink bugs often over-winter in attics, consider an insect electrocution system,” he says. “Install this in a dark attic, and it will help you collect the stink bugs that find their way into your home.”

More choices

If all else fails, there is pesticide. Any bug spray will work if sprayed directly on the stink bug (Lysol also works and smells better).

Steinau says there also are materials that provide residual protection, like Talstar Pro and a new product called Suspend PolyZone. These products work well if you treat your home’s exterior under the eaves, entryways, and cracks and crevices.

Got other tips for how to get rid of stink bugs? Leave us a note in the comments below.